A much improved offense has the Monmouth College women's water polo season off to the best start in program history. Cassidy O'Connell set the single-game scoring record as the Fighting Scots scored nearly 12 goals per game and split their final four games at the Macalester Tournament.

      The Scots got behind early in the tournament's first game against the host school. Trailing Macalester 4-1 after the first quarter, O'Connell and Abbi Murray netted goals, cutting the halftime deficit to 5-3, but that would be as close as the Scots would get.

      Monmouth rebounded in Saturday's second match, an 18-11 win over Cal Tech. O'Connell notched five first-period goals on her way to a program-record 10 as Monmouth never trailed, stretching the lead to seven at 11-4 by halftime.

      Carthage pulled away in the second half of the final game on Day 1. Monmouth came back on four O'Connell goals after the Lady Reds had opened up a 4-0 lead and took an 8-5 lead by the break. The Scots' offense was then shut down in the final two quarters to fall 16-9.

      Sunday was rematch day as the Scots battled Macalester and Carthage. Rachel Unger gave Monmouth a quick 1-0 lead in the opener with Macalester before O'Connell scored minutes later as Monmouth took a 3-2 lead after one. Macalester came back with four goals in period two, knotting the game at 6-6 at halftime. The teams then traded the lead throughout the second half before goals by O'Connell and Brenna Bowers gave Monmouth a two-goal advantage at 11-9. Monmouth's defense took it from there, holding Macalester to a pair of goals while four Scots got in the scoring column to give Monmouth the 15-11 win, avenging Saturday's loss.

      The Scots weren't as fortunate in the last game of the weekend with Carthage, falling 17-7. Carthage opened up a 7-3 first quarter lead which proved to be too much to overcome.

      Monmouth's 2-3 start is the best in program history and equals its two-year win total. O'Connell finished the weekend averaging more than six goals per contest. Her 32 goals this season is more than halfway to her own season-record of 62 set in 2014. Newcomer Becca Dabrowski came on strong on the final day with eight tallies to finish the weekend with 12 goals as the Scots' second-leading scorer.

      Monmouth will travel to Kenosha, Wis., the second weekend of March for the Carthage Tournament.